


Careless

by UMsArchive



Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-24 13:52:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6155764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UMsArchive/pseuds/UMsArchive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“…and to put yourself in danger in such a way… Do you not think of the consequences of your actions? Don’t you realize the responsibility you’d put on us if something ever happened to you?”<br/>Izzy has been hearing many variations of that tirade during the last few years from Alec. But this wasn't Alec.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Careless

“…and to put yourself in danger in such a way… Do you not think of the consequences of your actions? Don’t you realize the responsibility you’d put on us if something ever happened to you?”

Izzy has been hearing many variations of that tirade during the last few years. Sometimes it was directed at her, her and Jace, but mostly Jace exclusively. Alec’s voice, always stiff and angered and worried. Always sounding, more than anything, hurt. Because she was too busy launching herself in the frenzy of a battle, she guessed, she never truly understood it. What it meant, seeing someone you love, from afar, about to get a possibly deadly hit, and being possibly not able to make it in time to them. The barest chance of seeing them die before your eyes. It had taken a great deal for her to see it that way, too.

When she was younger, she used to think that maybe Alec just wasn’t much into the Shadowhunters mandate. He received every mission the three of them were given with an unnerved look across the room, at Jace and herself, who, in contrast, were all excitement. He seemed anxious on the way there and relieved when it was over. Over was when the other two have been checked up and down for the smallest of scratches and healed properly.

 

“That’s nothing dangerous, Alec. Stop smothering us.”

 

“It could get infected and you’d die. Of infection. Your tombstone would read: ‘Jace Wayland. Lived a little. Very little. Died of a dagger scratch. Barely two inches. Lame.’ ”

 

Jace would grudgingly snatch the seraph blade from Alec’s hand and draw the Iratze himself, glaring up the whole time.

 

It took the death of Max. It took seeing Jace fallen to the ground, with Sebastian coming for a killing blow, while she watched. And she finally understood. She saw the view clearly. The view she and Jace had forced Alec to witness day after day, hunt after hunt, for all of those years.

 

But this time it was not Alec shouting, as boots echoed across the Institute’s floor, towards the kitchen, where she, Clary and Maryse were having a girls’ day off, chatting and cooking. Well, Maryse was cooking. But Clary and Izzy were making up in chatting. It was nice. It was peaceful.

 

In fact, Alec walked in looking in high spirits. Even amused. Which was odd to begin with. Hunts never left Alec feeling giddy. Just relieved. At most, satisfied. He came in with the usual and obvious ‘we’re back’ (though for Shadowhunters there may not always be a 'we’re back’) and seated himself at the large table, across from Clary and Izzy.

 

“But where are…?” Clary began, before the door was slammed open and there came the other two. One of Jace’s arms was slung across Simon’s shoulders and one of his legs was hanging in a weird angle. Jace looked beyond annoyed. Simon, almost bored. It also looked almost out of place for Alec to look rather unconcerned in the presence of a wounded Jace.

 

“What happened?” Clary sat up instantly, moving her gaze between Simon and Jace.

 

“Tell them what happened, Jace,” Alec joined in, still in good humor.

 

Jace muttered something incoherently, averting his gaze. All the others could make out of that were the constantly repeated 'damn stupid mundane’ and 'danger’. Lastly, he made a very unlikely attempt, trying to hit Simon with his good leg, while the other was still suspended in the air. Of course, he slipped and needed to get an even better grip of Simon. Simon helped in preventing his fall, too, but looked utterly exasperated while doing it.

 

“Jace, was that you shouting about being reckless, earlier?”

 

“The demon was RIGHT behind him!” Jace snapped, as if it explained everything.

 

“In the range of a simple sword swing, if you wouldn’t have…,” Simon finally burst too.

 

“…launched himself at the BIGGEST of them!” Jace went on.

 

“It was the SECOND biggest!”

 

“You are a novice. The smallest was most adequate!” Jace shouted back.

 

“That’s ridiculous. THAT demon was in my range. 'Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Demon, my current level in the Shadowhunters game doesn’t allow me to choose to fight YOU. I need to switch to your partner over there to level-up and I’ll get back. I apologize. I don’t make the rules.’ ”

 

“But how did Jace get hurt?” Maryse intervened.

 

“The demon right behind him!” Jace repeated.

 

“Just a sword swing away!” Simon insisted.

 

“Alec?” Maryse raised one hand to stop them, turning to her older son. One could always count on getting the clearest, shortest explanation from Alec and he was always willing to give it. Today, he seemed especially willing.

 

“We found three demons at the location. Simon caught the eye of the bigger one. Jace saw that and he lost his head, leaving what he was doing to head over there, missing the fact that Simon was aware of it and already raising his sword. He pushed him out of the way and they fell together and started to roll around, with Simon resisting Jace’s grip. When my arrow hit the demon, I caught sight of them rolling towards - and eventually falling - into a small ditch. That’s how Jace broke his leg. Simon is good, though. He fell on Jace’s leg. Jace wouldn’t let us heal his leg and protested against being carried all the way here.”

 

While Alec recounted the hunt, Simon continued looking exasperated and they could still hear Jace muttering, now and then, 'the demon right behind him’, still avoiding to look anyone in the eyes.


End file.
